Home-plate.



W. E. PISEL.

HOME PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1909.

Patented Feb 8,1910.

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HOME PLATE.

nrmonmn FILED MAY 20, 1909.

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Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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W. E. PISEL.

HOME PLATE.

APPUOATION FILED MAY 2a, 1909 9458,3 12, Patented Feb. 8,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Quorum WALTER E. PISEL, OF BLOOMDALE, OHIO.

HOME-PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Feb. 8, 1910.

Application filed May 28, 1909. Serial No. 498,803.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVALTER E. PIsnL, a citizen of the United States, residing 'at Bloomdale, in the county of ood and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Home-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in home plates, such as are employed in the game of baseball.

The object of my invention is to provide a plate, upon the upper surface of which a covering of paper or cloth may be constantly kept, so that the pitcher will be able to clearly see the plate, in delivering the ball to the batter.

Another object is to provide a device of this character, in which the top of the plate is removable, so that paper or cloth may be placed in a suitable receptacle provided for the same, said paper or cloth extending from one side of the plate and securely held upon the upper surface thereof by a suitable fastening device.

A further object is to provide a suitable foundation for the plate, and means for removably securing the same thereto.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

- it being understood that changes in the spe cific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved plate, the removable paper or cloth surface of which is shown thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the plate removed. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same with the cover removed. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken 011 the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the removable top plate.

In the game of baseball, a playing field is laid off and comprises the first, second, third base, and the home plate. These four positions comprise what is known as the diamond. The pitchers box is located between first and third base, or in the center of this diamond. The batter takes his position upon one side of the home plate, and it is the object of the pitcher to so deliver the ball that the same will pass fairly over the plate. The home plate often becomes covered with dirt and dust until the same is barely discernible by the pitcher or umpire and must be kept constantly brushed. It is to overcome this difiiculty that my improved home plate has been devised. To this end a suitable concrete foundation 1 is first constructed below the surface of the ground, and the tubes 2 are embedded therein, and have their upper ends interiorly threaded. A shallow box 3 is supported on the concrete 1, the upper edge of which is flush with the surface of the ground. Securing screws 4 extend through slots in the bottom of the box and are threaded into the upper ends of the tubes 2. One end of the slots 5 is en.- larged sufliciently for the box to be removed, the securing screws remaining in the upper ends of the tubes. The box is preferably constructed of cast iron and is provided with an opening 6 beneath which a suitable paper or cloth receptacle 7 is secured. This receptacle is located upon the left-hand side of the plate or toward third base. The front of the box 3 is triangular in shape, the sides of the same extending at right angles to the rear edge for about one-half of its length. This is the shape of the home plate as used upon all regulation baseball fields.

Upon the side of the plate upon which the paper receptacle 7 is located, the same is chamfered or inclined as shown at 8, from the upper edge of the box to the outer edge of the opening 6. The cover plate 9 is now placed on the box 3 and has formed upon one of its front inclined sides, the studs 10, which are received in the openings 11 in the side of the box 3. In the rear edge of the plate 9 a cylindrical recess 12 is provided which receives the spring-pressed stud 13. A spiral spring 14 is disposed between the rear end of the recess and the stud to normally hold the same in the opening 15 provided in the rear of the box 3.

The edge of the plate 9 is chamfered as shown at a Fig. 6 at approximately the same angle as the inclined portion 8 of the box 3. To the bottom of the plate 9 are secured the spring plates 16, the greater portion of which extend beyond the lower edge of the inclined side of the plate 9 and bear upon the paper or cloth which has previously been placed in the receptacle 7. The removable top plate is constructed of wood and has secured to the upper surface thereof at the side upon which the paper receptacle 7 1s located a metal plate 17. The paper extends from the receptacle 7 between the inclined sides of the top plate 9 and the box 3, and is secured to the opposite side of the plate 9 by means of a plate 18, pivoted to the side of the box 3 adjacent to the upper edge thereof. The upper edge of the plate 18 1s horizontally extended and when the paper 1s secured beneath the same, contacts with the upper edge of the side of the box. The free end of the plate 18 is projected in parallel relation to the side of the triangular front portion of the box, and has formed at its upper edge a lip 19 by means of which the pivoted plate may be raised. A latch plate 20 is secured to the side of the box 3 and is adapted to receive between its free upper end and the side of the box, the angularly disposed end portion of the pivoted plate 18 whereby the same will be securely held in its closed position upon the paper or cloth. The lower edge of the pivoted plate 18- is suitably sharpened, so that when the paper or cloth has been secured beneath the same, the portion extending beyond the side of the plate may be neatly torn off, so that no ragged, overhanging edge will be left after the paper has been smoothly placed upon the upper surface of the plate.

l/Vhen the plate is secured in its position upon the diamond, the front triangular por tion thereof extends in the direction of the pitchers box, the horizontal edge of the same forming the rear of the plate. After the top 9 has been secured in the box, flush with the upper edge thereof, the paper or cloth 7 is drawn from between the side inclined edges of the box and top 9 and extended across the upper surface of the plate from the left to the right-hand side. The hinged bar or plate 18 is lifted and after the paper or cloth has been smoothly positioned across the top of the plate 9, the securing bar 18 is forced downward until the forward end thereof is securely held between the side of the box 3 and the plate 20. The bar 18 will thus securely confine the end of the paper between the upper edge and side of the box, the remaining portion thereof being torn off as before described. WVhen the paper or cloth has become soiled to such an extent that it is not easily discernible by the pitcher or umpire, the same is removed and a new length of paper is drawn from the box 7 and secured upon the top of the plate as before described.

When the paper becomes exhausted, the pin 13 is forced into the recess 12 by manual engagement of a pointed instrument thereagainst in the rear edge of the top plate 9, and the top of the plate removed from the box so that the paper receptacle 7 may be replenished. When it is no longer desired to use the plate, the surrounding earth is removed and the box 3 forced backward upon the top of the base 1 until the securing screws are positioned over the enlarged ends of the slots 5 when the box 3 together with the top plate 9 may be easily lifted therefrom.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a home plate which is ex tremely simple in its construction and which will greatly facilitate the progress of the game of baseball. A plate thus constructed will also prove of great assistance to the umpire so that he will be able to render quick and accurate decisions at all tunes.

My improved plate is simply and 1nexpensively constructed. The paper, of course, may be renewed when necessary.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a base, of a box secured upon said base, a top removably secured in said box and flush with the upper edge thereof, an opening in the bottom of said box and a receptacle secured beneath said opening, a plate covering disposedm said receptacle and extended between one side of said box and the top thereof, and means for securing said covering upon the opposite side of said box.

2. The combination with a plastic base, of a box removably secured upon said base, a top removably secured in said box, an opening in the bottom of said box and a receptacle secured beneath the same, one s de of said box and said top being inwardly 1 nclined in parallel relation, a covering d1sposed in said receptacle and extending between the inclined sides of said box and said top, and means for securing said coverlng upon the upper surface of said box.

3. The combination with the base, of a box removably secured upon said base, the front end of said box being pointed in plan, a top removably secured with1n said box and flush with the upper edge thereof, an opening in said box and a paper receptacle secured beneath the same, one side of said box and said top being inwardly inclined, spring plates secured to the under side of said top, the free end of said plates being disposed over the inclined side thereof, a paper roll disposed in said receptacle, extending between the inclined side of said box and said spring plate, and means pivoted to the opposite side of said box for securing the paper upon the upper surface of said top.

1. The combination with a plastic base, of a box removably secured upon said base, tubes secured to said base having their upper ends interiorly threaded, securing screws engaged in the threaded ends of said tubes and slidably disposed in slots in said box, one end of said slots being suitably en- Aux larged for the passage of said screws, a top disposed within said box having a recess in its rear edge, a plurality of lugs secured in one side of said top, said lugs engaging in openings in the side of said box, a stud bolt disposed in the recess in said top, a spiral spring normally tending to force said bolt outwardly into an opening in the end of said box, a paper receptacle secured to the under side of said box, a paper roll disposed in said receptacle extending between one side of said box and said cover, a bar having a horizontally disposed edge pivotally secured to the opposite side of said box and a latch plate secured to the side of said box adapted to retain the pivoted bar upon said paper to secure the same upon the surface of said top.

5. The combination with a base, of a box secured upon said base, a top removably secured in said box, a receptacle secured to the under side of said box, a covering disposed in said receptacle extending between one side of said top and said box, a. bar pivoted upon the side of said box having its upper edge horizontally disposed, a latch plate secured to the side of said box, the free end of said bar being angularly extended and secured between the spring plate and the side of said box to retain the covering upon the surface of said top, and a lip upon the edge of the angular end of said bar by means of which the same may be operated.

6. The combination with the base, of a box secured upon said base, a top removably secured in said box, a covering disposed'beneath said top adapted to be drawn across the upper surface of the top, and means for securing the covering thereon.

7. The combination with the base, of a box removably secured upon said base, a top plate disposed in said box, means carried by the plate to secure the same in position, a receptacle positioned beneath said box and communicating therewith, a plate covering disposed in said receptacle and adapted to be drawn therefrom across the upper surface of the plate, and means carried by the box for securing the covering in position.

8. The combination with the base, of a box removably secured upon said base, a top plate carrying laterally extending lugs adapted to engage in openings in said box to secure the plate in position, a receptacle carried by the box at one side thereof, a plate covering disposed in the receptacle adapted to be drawn across the upper surface of the plate, means carried by the plate to prevent the unintentional withdrawal of the covering, and means for securing the covering'to the opposite side of the plate.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER E. PISEL.

lVitnesses:

GEO. P. PIsEL, LAUDER V. ROBBINS. 

